Do you struggle with unrelieved chronic pain despite medications and numerous doctor visits? Reiki is a great alternative therapy to help manage chronic pain and stress.
Chronic pain is an immense problem reported by 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. This issue leads to lost wages from missed work, difficulty doing daily activities, and poor mental health.
This blog explores the origins, science, and healing benefits of non-medicinal treatments like Reiki for chronic pain. We also provide tips to incorporate Reiki into your life.
What Is Reiki?
Reiki is a therapy in which practitioners channel healing energy from the universe and direct it toward others to encourage self-healing. Practitioners guide energy by placing their hands directly on patients or just above them.
Many trace the origins of Reiki to Eastern religions and spiritual practices like Buddhism. However, the practice wasn’t popularized until Japanese Dr. Mikau Usui experienced Reiki’s healing powers firsthand during a spiritual fasting journey and opened a practice to share this knowledge.
Three Degrees of Reiki
There are three degrees of Reiki practice, each requiring different training that advances in difficulty with each level.
First Degree: People practice Reiki on themselves or others through light touch.
Second Degree: Employing advanced healing without touch, healers practice Reiki from a distance using thoughts.
Third Degree: Practiced by “Reiki Master” healers, in-depth knowledge allows practitioners to train others on Reiki healing.
Sessions normally last 30-90 minutes and focus on using Reiki massage and energy to promote spiritual healing and physical wellness.
The Science Behind Reiki’s Healing Powers
The science of Reiki may lie within the concepts of biofield therapy and quantum physics.
Biofield therapy is the use of electromagnetic energy our bodies produce for healing. We can measure this energy with tests like an ECG or MRI.
Some believe that in Reiki therapy, the practitioner and recipient’s electromagnetic fields combine and influence each other’s energy through touch. Although this theory hasn’t been directly observed, physics experiments show atoms’ bioelectric fields alter one another’s energy. Furthermore, Japanese researchers have measured electromagnetic energy coming from the hands of yoga and meditation practitioners.
Quantum Physics studies energy and the most basic form of matter—the atom. Researchers in this field have discovered that thought energy can influence the location of matter in a phenomenon known as the “observer effect.”
Together, these proposed concepts could explain how thoughts and touch directed toward recipients can change matter and energy in a healing way.
Reiki and Chronic Pain Relief
As stated previously, chronic pain is a major challenge faced by many Americans, leading to the loss of physical abilities and independence at home and work.
Cumulatively, these physical effects cause stress and isolation that also harm mental health. According to the American Psychiatric Association (2020), “An estimated 35% to 45% of people with chronic pain experience depression.”
With such far-reaching impacts on well-being, addressing chronic pain is vital. However, finding a perfect solution is difficult; medication alone is often insufficient to manage complex pain from illnesses like cancer and neck and back injuries.
Don’t let that discourage you, though. Increasing numbers of chronic pain patients are experiencing relief from treatments that don’t involve medication, like Reiki. A large-scale evaluation of Reiki therapy found patients treated with Reiki noted a significant decrease in pain. Moreover, in another study, cancer patients undergoing treatment with Reiki rated their pain and anxiety lower than others treated with only opioids and rest.
Sophia Isako Yinchee Wong, a writer with chronic pain, shares how she uses self-reiki and mindfulness to manage pain in her blog.
Incorporating Reiki Into Your Life
So, now you’re interested in Reiki. But how does it fit into your life?
Two ways to incorporate Reiki include the following:
Finding a Reiki healer: Google “certified Reiki therapists” and book a session. Make sure to vet practitioners' credentials and reviews before your appointment.
Learning self-reiki: Take a course with a certified Reiki master and incorporate Reiki hand movements into your daily wellness routine. In-person classes may offer the most benefit. However, you can also learn with online training courses.
In short, Reiki is a growing treatment method that can help relieve serious chronic pain and stress. Its Eastern roots emphasize the connection between universal energy and our health that we can harness to promote healing.
Although we have not fully uncovered the science explaining the mechanisms of Reiki, research and personal stories show us this therapy has promise in tending to physical and mental ailments. Why not take steps toward holistic wellness today and book a Reiki massage or lesson?
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2020, November 13). Chronic pain and mental health often interconnected.https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/chronic-pain-and-mental-health-interconnected
Anderson, E. Z., & Wolk-Weiss, C. (2008). Reiki. In J.E. Deutsch & E.Z. Anderston (Eds.). Complementary therapies for physical therapy. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7216-0111-3.X5001-5
Caltech Science Exchange. (n.d.) What is quantum physics? Retrieved November 26, 2023, from https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/quantum-science-explained/quantum-physics
Chen, A. (2022, February 23). Mind-matter connection: How our thoughts affect and manifest reality. Weekly Wisdom Blog. https://www.weeklywisdomblog.com/post/mind-matter-connection-how-our-thoughts-affect-and-manifest-reality
Crowhurst, M. (2023, October). Reiki level I, II + master certificate course energy healing. Udemy. https://www.udemy.com/course/reiki-master-certification-energy-healing/
Demir Doğan, M. (2018). The effect of reiki on pain: A meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 31, 384-387. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29551623/
Isako Yinchee Wong, S. (2010). Reiki & pain: One woman’s story. Reiki, Medicine & Self Care. https://reikiinmedicine.org/healthful-lifestyle/reiki-pain-one-womans-story/
Oschman, J. L. (2015). Energy medicine: The scientific basis (2nd ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Richard-Hamilton, F. (2021, August 23). Biofield therapy for chronic conditions: What are the facts? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-roots-health/202108/biofield-therapy-chronic-conditions-what-are-the-facts
Rikard, S. M., Strahan, A. E., Schmit, K. M., & Guy G. P. (2023). Chronic pain among adults — United States, 2019-2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 72(15), 379–385. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37053114/
Thrane, S., & Cohen, S. M. (2014). Effect of Reiki therapy on pain and anxiety in adults: An in-depth literature review of randomized trials with effect size calculations. Pain Management Nursing,15(4), 897-908. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24582620/
Tsang, K. L., Carlson, L. E., & Olson, K. (2007). Pilot crossover trial of Reiki versus rest for treating cancer-related fatigue. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 6(1), 25-35 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534735406298986
Yong, R. J., Mullins, P. M., Bhattacharyya, N. (2022). Prevalence of chronic pain among adults in the United States. Pain, 63(2), e328-e332. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33990113/
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